Side Story 1 – A Fallen Heroes Sees
by TheChampionOfLight
Summary: (This is a side story for my other story The book of Lore: A heroes path. It is the first and you will have to have read chapter 3. Well you don't, but it would probably be best too) During the attack on Swordhaven, Sepulchure sees.


_Sepulchure's_ _POV_

The wall before me imploded and I rushed through towards my life-long enemy, only to be blocked by his blade. As the foolish golden King and myself continued to battle (dodge, swipe, stab, dodge) I felt a presence at the edge of my senses. As we moved (stab, swipe, sidestep, dodge, jump) I spotted a girl at the entrance. A meagre child - younger than Gravelyn – clutching at a sword tightly as her eyes watched the battle. I ignored her after noting her presence – she was nothing important, even if something told me that that was not strictly true.

A few moments later, Alteon slipped up and presented the opening I required. My gauntlet covered hand grasped his throat and slammed him into the stone floor then tossed him at the wall to show just how little he could do in the face of the ShadowScythe. I paused briefly to both revel in my victory and note that the hero-pretender had not moved. I shook of the disconcerting feeling of my battle-born instincts yelling

 _not what she seems, danger, familiar, beware, kill, remove, similar, wrong, unknown, known_

and began to approach the king slowly to show how powerless he was.

"YOU'RE HIGHNESS!" A voice screamed out in a blend of worry and rage. The raven girl-child ran forward in a blur to stand between myself and my foe, her sword

 _familiar, wary, death, foe_

pointed forward and her face glowing with confidence…that shattered a split second late into an expression of absolute terror. I smirked. This foolish child was truly mad to believe she could stand against the might of the Shadowscythe, though it seemed that something had already shown her the error of her ways before I could shatter that confidence myself. Shame.

I stopped my movements completely and behind her I could see the King desperately attempting to get to his feet – most likely to protect the young fool. I stared down at the girl – much shorter than myself, though it felt wrong for her to be so short – and watched her become more and more afraid.

How amusing!

"If you want to get to the King you'll have to go through me!" The girl paled as the words were spoken, obviously desperately wishing she could take them back. But something about those words from this girl was familiar…

I could not help but laugh loudly as the ridiculous idea such a small being though she could stand against me.

"So," my words were carefully chosen to shatter this foolish child and bring despair to Alteon how continued to struggle to stand – a king who could not protect a girl so close to his own daughters age, it would cripple him - "this is what you are reduced to Alteon, hiding behind a frightened child who can barely hold her sword. A coward who can't even stand and fight to her end."

The girl froze. I believed that my words had done as intended, but then her face blanked. A moment later, though her body shook, she brought her sword high and kept it between us. It was an odd vision. The fallen King behind a shaking girl – tears streaming down her face – that seemed accepting of her fate, which did not attempt to flee.

I charged forward, prepared to destroy this insolent bug when

CLANG

her sword blocked my own. I tried again and it repeated. The girl's eyes opened and looked vaguely confused for a moment but then became confident once more, that same glow from before

 _same, not what she seems, destroyer_

emanating from her expression and her sword – a useless looking thing - seemed to change as she became more confident.

"Perhaps I was wrong about you little pest" I directed to the contradictory child. Perhaps I had been too hasty to cast her role. Perhaps the child could be put to better use under the command of the Shadowscythe. "It is a shame that you are a Good little hero instead of on the winning side".

I watched the girls face struggle for a moment as if pulled between two forces then flinch and prepare to block once more. She was listening – it was far too easy – and as I was about to speak once more a strike appeared from the left (dodge, slash), I cursed. "Indeed she is a Good hero that would never join the ranks of Evil!"  
I had taken my eyes of Alteon for a moment and he had recovered.

As we continued our battle, the girl whispered something about being neither…but before I could pay any attention to her words that were

 _so wrong, not definite, different_

so strange a purple blast slammed into my foolish enemies throne room. All were thrown to the floor and when I rose, I was both furious and shocked though that could not suppress the natural superior smirk that arose as the name of the pathetic worm was shouted.

"DRAKATH!?"

This would be over quickly and I informed him so. "FOOL. YOU CANNOT KILL WHAT IS ALREADY UNDEAD".  
At least that was what I thought until his hand dived into my chest and ripped my essence out of my body.  
"I AM DARKNESS! I AM DOOM... NO FORCE ON THIS WORLD CAN DESTROY WHAT I AM! LONG UNLIVE THE SHADOWSCYTHE!" I knew these would be my last words, but not to those in this room, and I hoped Gravelyn would understand.

My instincts told me to look at the girl that protected the king a distance away before my end. She was watching, misty eyes – most likely a concussion – wide with horror but there was something else. Why would this girl's eyes display mourning that only those who lost a respected oppon…

And I saw her.

As oblivion took me my last thoughts were of Gravelyn and

" _Welcome back"_


End file.
